Decorating machine



March J. H. KELLER ET AL Z,372,Q89

DECORATING MACHINE Filed Jan. 12, 1942 i 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

- 1945- J. H. KELLER ET AL v 2,372,089

DECORATING MACHINE 1 Filed Jan. 12, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 20, 1945; J. H. KELLER ETAL 2,372,089

' DECORATING MAGHINEJ Filed Jan. 12, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 mMarch 20, 1945. H. KELLER ET AL 2,372,089

DECORATING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 12, 1942 Zg INVENTORY 5 M iprolonged training Patented Mar. 20,1945

DECORATING MACHINE Jay H. Keller and Curtis E. Falmert, Sebring, Ohio ApplicationJanuary 12, 194,2, Serial No. 426,414 Claims. (01.10141) This invention relates to apparatus for app1y-.

ing decorations and designs to articles of manufacture by means of a stamp. The invention is directed particularly to the decoration of ceramic, enamel; glass and chinaware articles, such as plates, saucers, bowls and the like, but is also useful for decorating other kinds of ware in other fields of manufacture. y

It has been the principal objective of the present invention to provide a. machine for practicing the so-called stamp method of decorating automatically and rapidly. -The stamp decorating technique in general is well understood in the ceramic arts and it consists principally in fash ioning the, design or motif which is to be used, in relief, upon a piece of rubber or the like.- A tacky film of ink containing the desired coloring pigment such as bright'gold or suitable coloring oxide is applied to the design surface of the stamp and the stamp isthen pressed against the surface to be decorated. Due to the tackiness of the ink, some of it adheres to the surface of the ware and is thus detached from the stamp when the stamp is lifted. In the decoration of ceramic, glass, enamel, or china articles the ware is subsequently fired to fuse the color. The same generalmethod may be utilized in ornamenting leather, wood and other objects by using suitable ink or pigment compositions.

Briefly, the machine of the present invention consists in general of a surface upon which the were is supported, a plunger to drive the stamp in a reciprocating movement toward and from the ware, means for app y a film of ink to the surface of the stamp between successive stampof locating or aligning the ware with respect to the stamp and-means are provided for operating the chuck automatically relative to stamping movements in such manner as to provide the greatest latitude of time for feeding and unloading purposes during the intervals that the stamp is being inked. More specifically, the present invention contemplates an apparatus in which the chuck is operated to hold the ware. only during the actual stamping operation and for momentary periods preceding and succeeding stamping so as to enable the operator to utilize the remaining time of a cycle 'of operation, during which the stamp is being inked, for loading and unloading purposes. Supplementing this provision the drive mechanism for the stamp plunger drives the plunger through a complete stamping and return stroke during only a portion of a cycle of revolution. Through. these arrangements the chine constructed fast pace and the strain to which the operator otherwise would be subjected are relieved and a high rate of production is maintained with little fatigue to the operator.

Other objects and further advantages and features of the invention are shown in the drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated and in description of the drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a typical main accordance with the invention.

ing operations, and means for driving the stamp and for driving the inking apparatus in timed relationship.

However, an important objective of the inven tion has been to provide apparatus'in which these operations can be conducted at ahigh rate of production. It is obvious, of course, that the hourly output of any machine can be increased by driving it at a faster rate, but in the decoration of fragile articles the fatigue of the operator is related directly to breakage losses and satisfactory resultscannot be obtained if the operator has to perform his that the pace is possible to sustain throughout the working day.

periods are necessary to train the unskilled operator in catching the rhythm of the machine.

To avoid these difliculties machines of the present invention have a chuck which is capable or her functions so quickly Moreover, in such instances inking table.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the machine. Figure 3 is a view' similar to Figure 1 showing another stage in the operation of the device.

Figure 4 is a sectional plan" view takenon the line 4-! of Figure 1. i

Figure 5 is a sectional elevation taken 'on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary on the line Ii-6" of Figure 5.

Figure7 is a plan view showing a portion of the Figure 8 is a sectional line 8-8 of. Figure 7.

Figure 9 is an elevation paratus for applying ink to the inking table.

Figure 10 is a sectional view taken on the line In -Ill of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a sectional plan view showing inking table. Figure 12 isa sectional elevation taken on the line lZ-l! offigure 11.

As shown in the drawings, the apparatus in-' cludes a'frame indicated generally at -l, a table elevation taken on the the following detailed sectional .view taken.

of the end of the apdrive shaft ink feeding apparatus 5, and the plunger driving apparatus 6.

The frame is made up of corner posts I and braces 8 appropriately fastened together withv 9 providing a table to which a fastened. A column l2 extends the pedest and a table 3 projects laterally from a split collar M which is slidably journalled on the column so as to he adjustably supported thereby.

'An arm l5 extends from the upper part of the column out over the table l3 and it is provided with a bore for slidably journalling plunger shaft [6. The lower portion of the plunger shaft carries the stamp H. The. stamp unit is preferably detachably mounted on the plunger shaft and, as shown in the drawings, comprises a base piece l8 which engages the shaft, the stamp face member l9 which carries the design or decoration motif and a layer of resilient maside members pedestal H is upwardly from I tial, and fas the!!! out the remaining portion of the cycle of revolution of the cam.

It is to be noted that the points at which the arms 34 and 35 are pivoted at the posts 3. and Y 33 are inversely arranged so that a multiplying action is obtained whereby the relatively slight depression in the cam contour efiects a substanreciprocating movement of the plunger l6. This enables the actual stamping operation to be performed in a portion of the time cycle.

At the forward end of the machine the inking table 5 is located. A pair of guide rails H, extending between the rear super structure posts 2i and the front posts of the frame above the table, form a track for guiding inking rollers 42 from the inking table to'the surface of stamp H. The

'lower faces of the rails 4| are in the plane in terial 20 which absorbs shocks incidental to the impression ofthe stamp upon the ware.

Posts 2! extend upwardly from the side rails 9 adjacent the column l2 at the back part of the machine to provide support for a super structure 22, with a bracing panel 23 supporting the front end of the super structure from the front end of the frame. A table 24 is mounted on the super structure in offset relationship plunger it, with braces 25 extending diagonally from the lower frame to the outer edges of the table at front and rear to rlgidify the mounting.

A pair of pillow blocks 25 rest on the table in spaced relationship and these rotatively journal a drive shaft 21. Pulley 28, driven through belt 29, is pinned to the drive shaft 21 intermediate the pillow blocks and a cam is pinned to the at an end thereof projecting beyond the pillow block adjacent the upper portion ofthe plunger l6. Cam 30 is of regular contour except for the 3i thereof.

Posts 32 table tively to one and 33 project upwardly from the another to pivotally carry arms 34 and 35 respectively. Arm 35 is provided with a roller 36 arranged to follow the contour of cam 35, and arm 34, at its corresponding end, is provided with a fork 31 for driving a. pin 38 pro jecting transversely from the plunger l6. At their other ends the arms 34 and 35 are pivotally interconnected through the link.

The driving portion 3| of cam 30 is hooded as at so that the follower roller 35 is driven downwardly when riding through this portion of the cam contour. i

It will be seen that because of the circular contour of the major portion of the cam periphery plunger i6 is normally at rest and the parts chordal -driving" portion in offset and staggered relationship relaupper portions rollers 42 between are so arranged that this rest position takes place proximately one-fourth of its periphery, ,the fol-- lower movestoward the centerof the cam, thus which the face of retracted position, rails the rollers 42 come into contact with the face of the stamp l1 and transfer ink to it. The surface of table 5, on the other hand, is so located that when the rollers 42 move toward the forward end of the machine the lower portions of the roller peripheries engage the ink located on the table. It is tobe noted thatthe inking operation is conducted at a level substantially above the table l3 so as to leave the work table in a most accessible, position, free and unobstructed by the inking mechanism. I

Stuh shafts project fromthe ends of rollers 42 and are journalled in cradles 43. The cradle members in turn are pivotally suspended from swing arms 44," one at each side of the machine. Each arm 44 projects upwardly through a drive sleeve 45 by means of which the arms are moved to drive the rollers 42 back and forth along the guide rails. The upper end of each arm i l projects beyond the sleeve by which it is driven and carries acompression spring 45. These springs of the sleeves and caps 41 on the arms, thereby tending to lift the arms and hold the rollers in engagement with the guide rails M.

Drive sleeves 45 are fastened to a rock shaft 48 at opposite sides of a pillow block 49 through which the shaft rotatively is journalled. For rocking the shaft 48 an eccentric stub is providedat the end of the shaft 21 opposite the cam 30 and a connecting rod 50 is iournalled on the stub with its opposite end pivotally journalled on a link 5|. The opposite'end of link 5i is fastened to shaft 48. 'As the connecting rod oscillates through an arc uponrotation of the drive shaft 21', shaft '48 is rocked whereby the arms 44' are swung back and forth to drive the the stamp 3 and the inking table. j x

The inking table'is constituted by a plate 53 which is rotatably carried on a post 54, the latter in turn being supported from a pedestal 55 located between side rails! of the frame of the machine. A ratchet 58 is arranged beneath the table so as tobe concentric there member 51 extends from an oscillating arm 50 for engagement causing the rear portion of arm 35 to-be lifted.

As .the rear portion of arm 34-moves ward portion of arm 34 is driven downwardly thus causing the plunger to approach the table l3 for astamping operation. As the rotation of the follower 36 relatively the cam 30 continues is lifted -thereby retracting plunger IE to its normal receded position where it remains throughup, the for Y to urge the opposite the ratchet teeth. One end of with the ratchet teeth. The pawlis pivoted'on 9. arm 58 and a spring arm 58 engages the one end of the pawl so as end into engagement with the arm 58 is slidably supported in a bracket 5| which projects upwardly from the column 54. The other end is engaged by a drive link G2, which is operated stamp ll resides when it is in so that in passing along the th and 'a pawl -.thereof to carry a ratchet 66.

as described at a later point in the specification.

An ink feed box 63 for containing a supply of the coloring material to be used, say a bright gold ink, is located above the inking table 53 but in offset relationship thereto and houses an ink feed roller 64 for applying and maintaining a uniform film of the ink upon the inking table. The feed roller 64 is journalled in the box so that a portion of it extends slightlybelow the lower face of the. box to engage plate 52, with the opening in the bottom portion of the box fitting the roller contour snugly so that no ink escapes therefrom except th film portion carried on the surface of the roll.

Shaft 65 on which the feed roller is journalled extends beyond the wall of the box at one side This ratchet is driven by a pawl 61 which i'spivotally supported upon one arm 68 of a bell crank) 69. The pawl is urged toward the ratchet by means of spring and the bell crank69 is pivotally journalled on the feed box through the stud H. The ink feed box is supported from a corner post of the frame by means "of a bracket member 12 which is fastened across the guide rails An additional support bracket 13 also is fas- 4|. tened intermediate the side of the'feed box opposite the ratchet drive and a corner post of the frame of the apparatus. V

Tohold the ware a chuck plate 14 is mounted .on the table l3. The chuck has the function of aligning the ware with respect to the stamp preceding the stamping operation and also serves to hold the. ware against lateral movements during stamping. By virtue of the tackiness of the inkused the chuck has the additional purpose of holding the ware down upon the table so that it isnot lifted when the stamp moves away from the work. Slots are cut radially in plate H to receive jaws-15'which'are slidable in the slots. A stub I6 projects beneath the table I 3. on an axis centrally of the plate '14 to carry asliding sleeve 11. At the inside of the stub a tension spring 18 interconnects the lower portion of the sleeve IT with the table l3 so that, the sleeve normally tends to be drawn toward the table by the tension spring. At the outside of the sleeve TI bosses 19 are provided, one corresponding'to ward the center of the chuck for a closing operation; when sleeve Tlis released the spring 18 pulls the sleeve upwardly thereby causing the chuck jaws to open posistiff links to drivethe tion. 7

The chuck plate 14 preferably is spaced slight ly from the upper surface of the table-l3 by meansof spacers 82 so as to provide clearance for the bosses 8| at the bottom faces of the chuck jaws, and the stifi links so pass through the table- 13 through slots provided therein. It is also obtain a positive centering action.

In setting up the apparatus the lock nut on by them will be centered with respect to the stamp l1. At this time the table also is adjustedas to height so that when the plunger is in the down position. the stamp I1 is impressed prop desirable that three chuck jaws be utilized to ware.

erly upon the surface of the ware being held by the chuck.

The opening and closing operation of the chuck jaws, the drivingof the lever'62 through which motion of the inking'table is effected and driving of the lever 69 through which rotation of the inking roller is efiected are obtained from a rocker arm 83 which is fastened to the rock shaft 48 to oscillate therewith. A connecting rod 84, is pivoted at its one end to the rocker arm 83 and is pivoted at its other end to the arm 69 so that as the rocker arm 83 is oscillated the arm 69 is moved to drive the inking roller through pawl 61.

A bracket 85. is located beneath the inking table to provide a journal for a stub shaft 86. The lever 62 is pinned at its one end to this shaft and, as previously described, is pivotally con on a shaft journalled at each end in journal blocks 9|. A cable 92 extends from the. other end of the bell crank 81 around the pulley and into connection with the sleeve 71. A tension spring 93, somewhat strongerthan the spring 18, is positioned in the cable system so as to provide means for tensioning the chuck jaws on th In the linkage system just described it will be seen that oscillation of the connecting rod 58 causes oscillation of the rock shaft 48 moving the arm 83 backwardly and forwardly, operating the feeding roller through the bell crank 69, operating the inking table through bell crank 81, link 82 and the oscillating pawl arm 51, and operating the chuck through the bell crank'81 and the cable 92. I

In respect to-the timing of the system it will be seen that the stamp is oscillated to 'make a full stroke and return only during a portion of the given cycle ofoperation. The linkage to the 'chuck is so arranged thatthejaws of it are moved to the closed position and hold the work located between them firmly only a moment before the stamp has been moved into engagement with the work. The apparatus also is.- so ar+ ranged that the bell crank 81 is oscillated to release the chuck jaws as soon as the stamp has ers 42 from the inking table to the stamp, across the face of thestamp and to the return position during the remaining portion of the cycle..

Having described our invention, we claim: 1. A device for app yi decorations to articles of manufacture comprisinga stamp having design indicia thereon, a device for centering and holding ware in'position to be operated upon by said stamp, comprising a ware supporting plate member, a plurality of radially arranged jaws mounted slidably upon said plate and means for moving said jaws radially inwardly in unison, and 'means for driving said stamp and said centering and holdingdevice in timed relationship such that the jaws thereof are operated to closed posi-. 7

tion duringthe period the stamp is in position to engage work held thereby and for momentary periods preceding and succeeding such work engaging position of the stamp, and the said Jews are in open position during a major portion of a cycle of operation.

2. A machine for applying decorations to articles of manufacture comprising a stamp having design indicia thereon, a rotatable drive member, a centeringand chucking-device for holding work in position to he engaged by said stamp, means for driving the stamp toward and from said centering and chucking device during a portion only of a cycle of revolution of said drive member and for holding said stamp in idle position during the remaining portion of said cycle of revolution of the drive said centering and chucking device comprising a plate having a plurality of radially positioned jaws slidable upon said plate and link means for moving said jaws toward the center of said plate inunison, and means driven from said drive member for operating said link means to close said chuck jaws during a minor portion of the cycle of revolution in which said stamp is in work engaging position with respect to said device and for a momentary period preceding and succeeding the work engaging position of said stamp.

3. A machine 01 the class described compris nga stamp having indicia thereon; a chuck for centering and holding work in position to be engaged bysaid stamp comprising a plurality V of jaws radially positioned with respect to one another and slidable toward a common central axis about which they are arranged, and means for sliding said jaws in unison to open and closed positions, a drive member, a cam device arranged laterally with respect to said chuck driven by said drive member for moving the stamp toward and from said chuck during a portiononly of a cycle of revolution of the drive member, means for opcrating said jaw moving means during a sub= stantially coincidental period whereby the chuck is closed during engagement of the stamp with work held by said chuck and for momentary periods preceding and succeeding such engagement, said chuck being operated to open position momentarily succeeding disengagement of said stamp with work held by said chuck, whereby said chuck is in open position throughout a major portion of the cycle of revolution.

4. A device for applying decorations to articles of manufacture comprising a rubber stamp hearing design indicia, a drive member, a table, a plurality of jaws arranged radially with respect to one another on saidtable and being slidable to open and closed position for holding work upon said table in position to be engaged by said stamp, said jaws also being arranged to hold the work downwardly upon the table, means for sliding said jaws to open and closed position in unison, rotatable drive means driven by said drive memher for driving the stamp toward and from the table during a portion only of a cycle oitrevolution of said drive member, and means for operating said jaw moving means in synchronism with said stamp in such manner that the jaws are closed momentarily preceding the period when the stamp reaches the work engaging position and open ,momentarily succeeding the period when the stamp is driven away from the work position.

5. A machine for applying decorations to articles of manufacture comprising a stamp having design indicia thereon, atable for supporting ware beneath said stamp, means -for reciprocating said stamp toward and from said table, a plurality of jaws arranged above sa? d table and movable radially with respect to a common for centering and holding work thereon, and means for actuating the jaws in unison, said jaw operating means being actuated in synchronism with said stamp whereby said jaws are moved radially inwardly to center were and hold it as the-stamp approaches and engagesthe ware and nntii'the stamp leaves the were.

JAY H. mILER.

CURTIS E. FAHWERT. 

